Terminally Pale

I could not believe my eyes, my time had come. It was finally trendy to be sun deprived, vampire-esc  pale, ghostly porcelain. Being photo-sensitive I was really only left with the option of the palest shades of foundation, and my entire teen years were spent avoiding the hideous "line" that forms along your jaw, occurring when you blend the foundation from your face down into your neck. Options for budget friendly foundation while previously limited, were starting to have a, dare I say it, sunnier outlook.

You would have to be completely unplugged to have missed the beauty trend (made profitable by scene-kids, alternative lady folk, vampire wannabes and goth types the world round) that saw fairer shades of foundation becoming available and more sought after, thus more accessible to those of use needing SPF 100 but not spending much time next to a make up case fitted for a runway model. I was ecstatic. When I began to see some of my favorite brands carrying shades light enough that even I was not forced to powder them down to my shade of translucent, I knew this was something I needed to cash in on while it was still prevalent. Here are a few of my favorite foundations, each slightly different, but all worth a second glance.

(Those of you blessed with functioning melanincells, fear not, these brands carry many gorgeous shades, and are more likely to have one that closely matches your skin color than any store brand knock off.)

Estee Lauder

What it's called:

Estee Lauder Double Wear in: "Bone".

What it claims:

-15 hour staying power.

-Flawless all day.

-Lightweight and comfortable.

-Won't smudge, change color, or come off on clothes

-Oil free

- Dermatologist tested

- Non-acnegenic

-Fragrance free

.

How it performs:

I turned to this foundation out of desperation. I had moved to Naha, Okinawa the gorgeous Hawaii of Japan. Due to poor research on my part, I did not realize the amount of humidity and semi-tropical weather I would be battling to stay looking flawlessly fresh and dewy. Well, I certainly never had a problem looking "dewy" as more than 50 percent of my foundation had melted, smear or run down my face in a matter of hours outdoors. At the time I had been using a foundation from Make Up Forever, meaning no disrespect to them, but that foundation was obviously not intended to withstand blankets of humidity and oven-esc temperatures. Within the first two weeks I was online searching for a replacement. Something full coverage, without the feeling of taking a paint scrapper to my face to remove it. I didn't want to feel weighted down, but I needed something tough enough to fight back against the havoc the climate was causing my face. When I came across Double Wear, saw the shade "bone" I knew I had found what I was looking for. It definitely wears as a full coverage, and true to its name, it does have an amazing amount of lasting power. Under moderate temperatures, I would even say I agree with the 15 hour claim. On a good day in Japan, it fought the good fight for about 9 to 10 hours before beginning to show signs of streaking or smearing.

Price:

$32-$38

Rating:

4 out of 5. For overall performance. This would be a foundation I saved for long days at work (or play) or harsh, unforgiving weather conditions.

Link:

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation (Multiple Shades)

M.A.C.

What it's called:

M.A.C. Studio Fix Foundation in: "NC15" or "NC20".

What it claims:

-Combines the goodness of foundation & a powder in one

-Provides full coverage & matte finish

-Hides imperfections & fine lines on face

-Long wearing, up to 8 hours

-Renders a smooth, flawless complexion

How it performs:

This little number is my go-to foundation. My everyday lady. It wears gorgeously, with a softened finish, which is very forgiving and concealing on fair skin. I have combination skin, both oily in areas, and dry in other, so I always apply an oil free moisturizer before applying Studio Fix, just to ensure the powder is not tempted to settle or cake in dry areas. I can have moderate acne flair-ups in my T-zone that used to ruin my morning, but now I just need to swipe a few extra layers of powder over those problem areas and it does wonders to conceal the redness and irritation. I prefer the shade NC15, but it is much easier to find NC20 on websites other than M.A.C.'s and it is often MUCH more affordable than the shade NC15.

Price:

$15-34

Rating: 

5 out of 5. Obviously, it's my main squeeze.

Link:

M.A.C. Studio Fix Foundation (Multiple Shades)

LORAC

What it's called:  

LORAC Breakthrough Performance Foundation in: "SMS 1"

What it claims:

-Oil free

-Pre-aging, Anti-aging, Hydrating and smoothing (with antioxidants)

-Flawless coverage

-SPF 14

No: Sulfates, Synthetic Fragrances, Synthetic dyes, Petro-Chemicals, or Phtalates (I do not know what that last one is, if you do, PLEASE INFORM ME)

How it performs:
SMS stands for "Second Messenger System" which is designed to help counteract the signs of again by increasing cell turnover and promoting skin's natural ability to produce collagen. I did not originally purchase this foundation intending to cash in on the anti-aging properties, but I was pleasantly suprised how it even helped my youthful skin feel healthier and fresher, seeming to strengthen my overall skin. Whether this is all in my head, after reading that the product was designed to do just that, I can say it does not matter to me either way. It did take two applications for me to achieve the full coverage effect I desire from a foundation, but if you were blessed with relatively blemish free skin then once would be more than sufficient for you. The foundation had a creamy, smooth and almost thick texture that went on light and absorbed evenly to create a balance of overall skin color and tone.

Price: 

$38-$40

Rating: 

4 out of 5. I had to go down a notch, because despite the many perks, it did take two applications to achieve my desired level of coverage.

Link:

LORAC Breakthrough Performance Foundation (Multiple Shades)

Please comment if I left something to be desired in my explanations, with any further questions, or if you'd like to see a product picked apart on a future post.

Enjoy. 




Rating System:
1 out of 5: don't waste your time or money.
2 out of 5: missed the boat.
3 out of 5: like where it was going, not where it ended up.
4 out of 5: Worth the money, but left something to be desired.
5 out of 5: Bingo.